How to Plant a Hedge

If you've been wondering how to plant a hedge, you're in the right place. We've been growing hedging plants here in North Florida since 1980, and in that time we've planted more rows of shrubs than we can count. A well-planted hedge is one of the best investments you can make in your yard. It works hard all year, providing privacy, blocking wind, buffering road noise, and giving the rest of your landscape a beautiful green backdrop to grow against.

Hedging plants can create privacy, define property lines, frame garden beds, and even reduce stress from a busy street. Whether you are picturing a tight, formal clipped wall of boxwood or a loose, flowering row of viburnums, getting the planting right from the start determines how well your hedge performs for the next ten, twenty, even fifty years.

This guide walks you through the whole process, from planning and plant selection to spacing, planting technique, and long-term care. We grow these shrubs ourselves on our farm and ship them directly to your door, so everything here is based on real hands-on experience, not guesswork.

Quick Answer: How to Plant a Hedge

Choose your hedging shrubs based on your site conditions and desired height. Dig a trench 18–24 inches wide and 12–18 inches deep. Space formal hedge plants at half their mature height apart. Plant at the same depth they grew in their container, water deeply, and mulch. Trim each plant back by one-third after planting to encourage dense, bushy growth.

Planning How to Plant a Hedge

Before you dig a single hole, spend a few minutes thinking through the plan. A hedge planted in the right spot for the right purpose will thrive for decades with minimal fuss. One planted in the wrong place will fight you every season.

Step 1: Decide on Purpose and Style

Start by asking yourself what you need the hedge to do. Is it screening a neighbor's fence or a busy road? Defining the edge of a garden bed? Acting as a windbreak? Each purpose points you toward different plant choices and maintenance styles.

There are two main hedge styles:

  • Formal hedges: Clipped into clean, geometric shapes, usually made up of a single species for a uniform look. These need pruning two to four times a year but look incredibly polished when maintained.
  • Informal hedges: Allowed to display their natural form, mixed species work well here, and they typically only need an annual thinning. Many flowering shrubs are great choices for this style.

Step 2: Assess Your Site Conditions

Not all hedging plants thrive in the same conditions. Before you pick a species, take a look at where the hedge is going.

  • Sun exposure: How many hours of direct sun does the area get? Most hedging shrubs want at least four to six hours, though some like Ocala Anise and Plum Yew handle shade well.
  • Soil: Sandy, fast-draining soil is common across the South. It is easy to work with but dries out quickly, which matters during establishment.
  • Airflow: Never plant a hedge tight against a wall, fence, or building. Shrubs in a hedge already lose airflow on two sides from neighboring plants. Add a wall and you are setting up conditions for fungal disease and sparse, leggy growth.

Step 3: Pick the Right Hedging Plants

Match your plant selection to the conditions you just assessed. Browse our full shrubs and hedges collection to see everything we currently have in stock, and see the recommended species list at the bottom of this guide for our top picks. Perfect Plants ships these shrubs directly from our North Florida farm to your door, rooted in containers and ready to go in the ground.

Not sure what style suits your property? Our landscape style guide can help you narrow it down.

Step 4: Mark the Route and Prepare the Trench

Lay out the hedge line with stakes and string so you can see exactly where it will go before committing. Once you are happy with the placement, dig a trench about 18 to 24 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches deep along the entire length. Working in a pre-dug trench rather than individual holes makes it easier to keep spacing consistent and gives every plant loosened, aerated soil from the start.

Hedge Plant Spacing: How Far Apart to Plant

Spacing is one of the most common questions we get, and it is important to get right. Plant too close and you will have overcrowding and disease problems. Too far apart and the hedge takes years longer to fill in and loses its uniform look.

Here is the rule of thumb we have used for decades:

  1. Formal hedges: Space plants at roughly half their mature height. A shrub that tops out at 3–4 feet should be planted 18–24 inches apart.
  2. Shrubs reaching 4–6 feet tall: Plant 2–3 feet apart.
  3. Tall screening hedges over 6 feet: Give each plant 3–4 feet of space.
  4. Informal hedges: Space further apart so each plant's natural shape and texture shows through.

For a formal hedge, the goal is for individual plants to eventually touch and overlap, creating the impression of one continuous living wall. For an informal hedge, you want each plant to have enough room to show off its natural form.

Box Hedge Spacing Tip

For boxwood hedges, we typically plant Japanese Boxwood 18–24 inches apart for a tight formal hedge. If you want it to fill in faster, go closer to 15–18 inches. Just know that tighter spacing means more pruning as the plants compete for space.

How to Plant Shrubs as a Hedge: Step by Step

Spring planting gives your new hedge the best start. Shrubs get the full growing season to establish their root system before summer heat peaks or winter arrives. That said, our containerized plants can go in the ground any time of year as long as you stay on top of watering. They ship rooted in containers with soil, not bare root, so they handle transplanting well.

  1. Measure and mark each plant's location within the trench before digging individual holes. Use a tape measure and marking flags or stakes to keep spacing consistent.
  2. Dig each planting hole twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth. Wider than the root ball is always good; deeper is not.
  3. Remove the shrub carefully from its nursery container. Check the root ball for any circling or coiled roots and loosen them with your fingers or a small hand rake.
  4. Trim back any excessively long, damaged, or mushy roots with clean pruners.
  5. Set the plant in the center of the hole so the top of the root ball sits level with or very slightly above the surrounding soil. Never plant deeper than the shrub was growing in its container. This is one of the most common planting mistakes we see.
  6. Begin backfilling with the original soil, watering thoroughly halfway through to eliminate air pockets. Give the plant a gentle shake as you backfill to help the soil settle around the roots.
  7. Finish backfilling and water again deeply right after planting.
  8. Apply a 2–3 inch layer of mulch around the base of each plant, keeping mulch an inch or two back from the main stems.

Mulching right away is one of the best things you can do for a new hedge. It holds moisture in, keeps roots cooler in summer heat, and cuts down on weed competition during the critical establishment period. For more on this, see our guide on how to use mulch in your garden.

Watering Your New Hedge

New transplants are entirely dependent on you for water while they establish their root system. Plan on watering every day or two for the first two to three months. After that, most hedging shrubs do well with about an inch of water per week, either from rain or supplemental irrigation.

Signs Your Hedge Needs Water

Wilting or drooping leaves and yellowing foliage are the first signs that roots are not getting enough moisture. Check the soil 2–3 inches down. If it is dry, water slowly and deeply, letting it penetrate rather than run off. Consistent deep watering is better than frequent shallow sprinkles.

Fertilizing and Pruning Hedge Plants

When to Fertilize

Every spring and again in early summer, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer following the label directions. Regular feeding keeps hedging plants vigorous and better able to resist the fungal issues and pest pressure, including spider mites, that can move through a dense planting.

The Most Important First Pruning

Three to four weeks after planting, cut each new shrub back by one-third to one-half of its height. This sounds counterintuitive, but it is one of the best things you can do for a new hedge. It redirects the plant's energy into branching out rather than just growing taller, which gives you a denser, fuller hedge in the long run.

Each dormant season after that, cut back new annual growth by about a third until the shrubs reach the height and width you want. For detailed guidance on trimming technique, our guide on basic pruning for shrubs and trees covers it well.

How to Care for a Hedge Long-Term

Pruning a Formal Hedge

Formal hedges need pruning two to four times a year depending on how fast your chosen species grows. Do not let branches get ahead of you. When lower foliage gets shaded out by overgrown upper branches, it dies back and leaves bare spots that are very slow to recover.

Always shape the hedge so it tapers slightly from base to top, widest at the bottom and narrowest at the crown. A hedge wider at the top than the base will shade its own lower half over time, thinning out the bottom and leaving unsightly bare branches. For perfectly straight lines on a box hedge, run a string between wooden stakes as a guide before you start cutting.

Pruning an Informal Hedge

Informal hedges are much more forgiving. Remove dead wood, crossed branches, and anything misshapen as you notice it throughout the year. Once a year in winter, do a light thinning to maintain overall size and airflow. Keep the overall form slightly pyramid-shaped, narrower at the crown, to protect lower branches from being shaded out.

Best Shrubs and Trees for Hedges

Every hedging plant we carry has been grown right here on our farm in North Florida. We know how these plants perform because we grow them ourselves and have for over 45 years. Here are our top picks, organized by size:

Low Hedges (Under 4 Feet)

Mid-Size Hedges (4–8 Feet)

Large Hedges & Privacy Screens (8+ Feet)

Frequently Asked Questions About Planting Hedges

How far apart should I plant hedge shrubs?

Space formal hedge shrubs at approximately half their mature height. Shrubs that reach 3–4 feet tall should be planted 18–24 inches apart. Shrubs reaching 4–6 feet tall can go 2–3 feet apart. For tall privacy screens over 6 feet, allow 3–4 feet between plants.

What is the best time of year to plant a hedge?

Spring is ideal because plants get the entire growing season to establish roots before summer heat or winter cold. However, containerized hedge plants can go in the ground any time of year as long as you water consistently during the first 2–3 months after planting.

How deep should I plant hedge shrubs?

Plant at the same depth the shrub was growing in its nursery container. The top of the root ball should sit at or very slightly above ground level. Planting too deep is one of the most common mistakes and leads to poor establishment, disease, and sometimes plant death.

How do I make a hedge grow thicker and fuller?

Trim each new shrub back by one-third to one-half of its height three to four weeks after planting. This redirects the plant's energy into branching rather than height, producing a much denser hedge. Continue cutting back new growth each dormant season until the hedge reaches the desired size.

What is the difference between a hedge and a bush?

A hedge is a planted row of shrubs or trees, pruned or trained to form a continuous living wall or barrier. A bush (or shrub) is an individual plant. Any shrub can potentially be used in a hedge, but the best hedging plants have dense branching, tolerate shearing, and grow consistently when planted in rows.

How do I plant a privacy hedge?

Choose fast-growing, dense evergreen shrubs like Nellie Stevens Holly, Thuja Green Giant, or Waxleaf Ligustrum. Plant in a straight line, spacing according to mature size. For quicker coverage, plant in a staggered double row. Water every day or two for the first 2–3 months and fertilize each spring and early summer.

How long does it take for a hedge to grow in?

Most hedge shrubs begin looking established within one to two growing seasons. Fast-growing varieties like Thuja Green Giant and Waxleaf Ligustrum can add several feet of height per year under good conditions. Slower-growing choices like boxwood take longer but require less pruning once established.

Ready to Plant Your Hedge?

There is something really satisfying about watching a hedge fill in over time and start doing its job, year after year. Whether you are planting a formal clipped wall of boxwood or a relaxed informal row of flowering shrubs, getting the planting right from day one sets you up for a hedge that will last for decades.

Browse our full collection of shrubs and hedges. Every plant is grown right here on our farm in North Florida and ships straight to your door, healthy and ready to go in the ground. If you have questions about which plant is the right fit for your space, we are always happy to help.

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